Red Pear is a classic Italian heirloom cherry tomato with a distinctive pear shape and bright red skin. The flavour is sweet and balanced. One of the most reliable cherry-style tomatoes for Irish gardens, producing long trusses of fruit from midsummer onwards.
Vigorous indeterminate variety that keeps producing until the first frost. Excellent in salads, roasted whole, or eaten straight from the plant. Children tend to eat these faster than you can pick them.
🌱 Sowing: February to May (indoors)
☀️ Light: Full sun for maximum sweetness
💧 Water: Regular and deep, avoid wetting foliage
🌡️ Germination: 7 to 14 days at 18 to 22°C
📏 Height: 150 to 200 cm, space 40 to 50 cm apart
⏳ Harvest: July to October
🌿 Growing tips for Ireland Start seeds indoors from February in a heated propagator or warm windowsill. Transplant after last frost (late May in most of Ireland). Install strong support early as plants grow vigorously to 2 metres.
Remove side shoots regularly to improve airflow and encourage larger trusses. Maintain consistent watering to prevent fruit splitting. Feed with a high-potash fertiliser once flowering begins. In a good Irish summer, expect heavy crops from a single plant. Even in cooler years, Red Pear performs well under cover or against a south facing wall.
When to sow
February to April indoors. Sow in a warm spot (ideally above 18°C), transplant to a larger pot or outside after the last frost, typically mid to late May in Leinster. Harvest from August.
How to grow
Grow in a pot, a growbag or a sunny border. Pinch out side shoots when they appear to focus energy on fruit. Water consistently rather than heavily. Irregular watering causes the skins to split. One plant produces enough for a family through August and September.
Recipe idea
Roasted tomato bruschetta. Halve twenty tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, roast at 180°C for 25 minutes. Pile onto toasted sourdough with fresh basil and a pinch of salt. Better than anything from a jar.
